Table for dressing and drying leathers, skins and the like



March 17, 1959 P. LEPORTIER 2,877,564

TABLE FOR. DRESSING AND DRYING LEATHERS, SKINS AND THE LIKE Fly] Filed Sept. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 2s a 25 43 ,1 15 M /s 2 I Z0 20 4 2+ 2+ 24 2s 2s" 2s 25 J L L L /L .l

flame; 15 0/: 77519 March 17, 1959 P. LEPohTlER TABLE FOR DRESSING AND DRYING LEATHERS, sxINs AND THE LIKE Filed Sept, 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIl'IIII/IIIII) hin- United States Patent TABLE FOR DRESSING AND DRYING LEATHERS, SKINS AND THE LIKE Pierre Leportier, Flers-de-lOrne, France Application September 24, 1956, Serial No. 611,660 Claims priority, application France October 21, 1955 Claims. (Cl. 34-163) The present invention has for its object a table for dressing and drying leathers, skins or the like.

A table in accordance with the invention is characterised in that, on the one hand, it is filled with and has passed through it a heating fluid, and in that, on the other hand, it is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis in order that it may be used for dressing when it is in the horizontal position, and for drying when it is in the vertical position. There is thus obtained a robust and eco nomical construction, together with a very elficient operation and excellent conditions of handling.

In accordance with a further characteristic feature, the fluid employed to heat the table is admitted and discharged through rotary joints which are co-axial with the said horizontal pivotal axis.

Forms of embodiment are described below by way of example, reference being made to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a table in accordance with the invention in the horizontal position for dressing leather;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the same table in the vertical position for drying;

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the arrangement of the circulation of heating fluid inside the table;

Fig. 4 is a view in cross-section to a larger scale of the mounting of the table;

Fig. 5 is a view in cross-section of the arrangement for locking the table in the horizontal position;

Fig. 6 is a view in cross-section of a pivot of the table which forms a rotary joint for the supply of the heating fluid;

Fig. 7 is a partial end view of the table with parts shown in cross-section;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to a part of that shown in Fig. 4, but which relates to an alternative form of mounting;

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of this alternative form of construction.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7, a table for dressing the leather in accordance with the invention is composed of two parallel plates 10 of metal or light alloy, slightly spaced apart. The two plates 10 are coupled together along their periphery by means of a bracing member 11, preferably formed by a metallic U-section.

A flexible joint or gasket 12 is arranged between each fiange of the bracing member 11 and the corresponding plate 10, and is clamped to give a fluid-tight closure by means of screws 13 which fix the bracing member 11 to the plates 10.

A fluid-tight space 14 is thus provided by the bracing member 11 and the plates 10, and is divided into compartments by partitions 15. These partitions serve to strengthen the assembly in order to maintain the spacing between the two plates 10, by resisting the pressure of a fluid which fills the table, as will be explained later.

The partitions 15 may be formed (see Fig. 4) by means of U-sections. Flexible joints or gaskets 16 are inserted between the flanges of the partitions 15 and the plates 10, while small studs 17 extend from one flange of the partition to the other, passing through these flanges, and are intended to receive fixing screws 18. Preferably a central longitudinal partition and a number of transverse partitions are provided.

A conduit 19 for the admission of heating fluid (see Fig. 3) extends along one longitudinal side of the table and is coupled at the centre of a transverse side to a rotary joint 20 incorporated in a pivot 21, while a discharge conduit 22 for the heating fluid passes along the other longitudinal side of the table and is coupled to the rotary joint 20 incorporated in a pivot 21 at the centre of the other transverse side, this joint 20' and the pivot 21 being identical with those provided for the admission conduit 19.

The two conduits 19 and 22 are provided with orifices 23 and 23' respectively so as to effect the circulation of the heating fluid throughout the entire table. This circulation is made uniform by the transverse partitions 15 and passes through holes 24 in the longitudinal partition 15.

The assembly of each rotary joint 20 or 20 and the corresponding pivot 21 or 21 is shown in detail in Fig. 6. The pivot 21 or 21' is formed by a hollow cylinder of which one extremity 25 passes through a hole in' the web of the peripheral bracing member 11. One or two plates 26 are engaged around the extremity 25, on the side of the interior space 14 of the table.

The extremity 27 of the admission conduit 19, or of the outgoing conduit, is engaged in the orifice 28 of the cylinder 21. The bracing member 11, the plates 26, the extremity 25 and the extremity 27 are fixed together in a fluid-tight manner by welds at 29.

A fixed pipe 30 or 30' of the conduit, located in the extension of the extremity 27, communicates with the latter and is engaged in the cylinder 21. The pipe 30 or 30 is associated with a packing gland 31 with a clamping screw 32. a a

This arrangement provides a perfectly fluid-tight seal and permits of a relative angular movement between the fixed pipe 30 or 30' and the conduits 19 and 20 which are rigidly fixed to the table.

The two pivots 21 and 21' are rotatably mounted and are supported in half-bearings 33 carried by the supports 34 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7).

The whole table assembly is thus rotatably mounted to swing above the horizontal axis of the pipes 30 and 30 for the admission and discharge of the heating fluid. The table is designed to be essentially movable between horizontal positions (Fig. 1), and vertical positions (Fig. 2).

A bolt 35 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5) is slidably mounted in a guide 36 carried by the supporting frame 34, between a position in which it is engaged in the bracing member 11, in which the table is locked in the horizontal position, and the position in which the bolt is withdrawn.

The heating fluid, for example hot water, circulates continuously inside the table, to which it is admitted through a fixed pipe 30 into the conduit 19 rigidly fixed to the table, passing along the whole surface of the table and discharging through the conduit 22 into the other fixed pipe 30'.

.For the dressing operation proper, the table is placed in the horizontal position of Fig. 1, in which it is locked by the bolt 35, and after applying glue to the leather or skin 37, the skin or leather is dressed on the horizontal table, that is to say under excellent conditions of working. In this way, all or part of one face or of both faces of the table can be covered, after which the table Ce Patented Mar. 17, 1959 normed 3 is turned into'the vertical position for the drying operation.

In an alternative arrangement (see Figs. 8 and 9), the arrangement is the same as that which has just been described with'reference to Figs. 1 to 7, except that the partitions 15 are each provided with a pair of angle irons 38. Each angle iron has one flange fixed to a plate ill by means of rivets 39 which are intended to be made flush with the external face of the plate. The two angle irons of each pair have their two other flanges in contact with each other. These flanges in contact are provided with holes 40, substantially in register and made oval in the sense of the length of the angle irons. In all the holes 40 of the angle irons round bars 41 are passed in order to ensure a reinforcement of the table in the sense of the width in order to withstand the pressure of the heating fluid, in a manner similar to that of the assembly 15-17- 18 of Fig. 4.

What I claim is:

1'. A table for dressing and drying leathers, skins and the like, comprising a hollow substantially rectangular fluid-tight space formed within the said table; pivot-bearing means for rotatably supporting the table about a horizontal axis; rotary joints mounted co-axially with and associated with the said pivot-bearings; and means for passing a heating fluid through the said rotary joints to circulate through the said space, whereby the table may be used for dressing when rotated into a horizontal plane, and for drying when rotated into a vertical plane, said last mentioned means including two perforated pipes having their perforations facing inside the table, one being coupled to one of said rotary joints and the other pipe being coupled to the other rotary joint.

2. A table for dressing and drying leathers, skins and the like, comprising a hollow substantially rectangular fluid-tight space formed within the said table; pivot-bearing means" for rotatably supporting the table about a horizontal axis; rotary joints mounted co-axially with and associated with the said pivot-bearings; means for passing' a heating fluid through the said rotary joints to circulate through the said space, whereby the table may be used for dressing when rotated into a horizontal plane, and for drying when rotated into a vertical plane, and means for guiding the circulation of the said heating fluid in the hollow space inside the said table, the said guiding means being disposed both transversely and longitudinally with respect to thetable.

3. A table as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising means for guiding the circulation of the said heating fluid in the hollow space inside the said table, the said guiding means being disposed both transversely and iongitudinally with respect to the table.

4. A table for dressing and drying leathers, skins and the like, comprising a pair of parallel plates, means joining the peripheries of said plates to provide a hollow fluidtight space between said plates, bearings for rotatably supporting the table about a horizontal axis, rotary joints mounted coaxially with and associated with the said bearings, means for passing a heating fluid through the said rotary joints to circulate through the said space, and means extending longitudinally and transversely within the space for guiding the circulation of the fluid inside the table.

5. A table for dressing and drying leathers, skins and i the like, comprising walls defining a hollow fluid-tight space formed within the said table and having at least two opposed substantially flat surfaces; pivot-bearing means for rotatably supporting the table about a horizontal axis; rotary joints mounted coaxially with and associated with the said pivot bearings; and means for pass ing a heating fluid through the said rotary joints to circulate through the said space, whereby the table may be used for dressing when rotated into a horizontal plane, and for drying when. rotated into a vertical plane, said last-mentioned means including two perforated pipes having their perforations facing inside the table, one pipe being coupled to one of said rotary joints and the other pipe being coupled to the other rotary joint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,164 Ballard July 11, 1916 1,580,164 Pezold Apr. 12, 1926' 2,686,976 Houghton Aug. 24, 1954 2,771,690 Iauzac Nov. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 722,713 Germany July 18, 1942 

